“You have a package.” Mom said as I came to the sitting room the next morning.
“Mrs Adrios, you’d have to sign here.” I sighed and he brought out the package and I knew who it was from instantly.
It was a bouquet of red roses and there was a little note attached to each. I took it from him smiling, it was thoughtful of him to get that.
“I nearly forgot, he told me to give this to you.” He said handing me my phone.
I thanked him and went in. “Who was that mummy?” Evie asked, noticing the flowers in my hands she asked another. “Did daddy get you that?” The excitement in her voice was as obvious as she looks. “Did daddy come?”
“No Evie.” She looked disappointed. “Maybe he’s going to come later. What do you think about the flowers?”
“They are pretty.” She answered smiling and I did too.
“He got you flowers. What does it say?” Mom asked already snooping.
“Aaaaaw.” She squealed.
“Mom,” I said playfully hitting her hands away and going to the room with Evie trailing behind while my mom just laughed.
I hadn’t sat on the bed for a minute when my phone rang and it was Kel.
“Hi. Did you get the flowers?” He asked.
“Yes,” I answered smiling. Hearing his voice felt so nice.
“Daddy,” Evie said excited and I handed the phone to her.
“Princess, how are you?” He asked and I could hear the excitement in his voice.
“I miss you, daddy. When am I going to see you?”
” I miss you too Evie. We’d see soon. Be a good girl to mummy okay?”
“I’m a good girl already. You didn’t get me flowers.” She said and we both laughed.
“I’d get for you next time okay. Can you give the phone to your mom now?”
“Tu me manques.”
“It’s not nice when you speak in a language I can’t understand,” I said laughing a little.
“Is there a language you understand aside from English?” He was teasing me now and I laughed.
“It’s not fair. What does it mean?”
“I miss you.”I wasn’t expecting to hear that and when I did it brought butterflies to my stomach and I smiled. ” Do you miss me?”
“No, I don’t.” I lied and nearly facepalmed myself. I was doing the opposite of what I was supposed to do.
“I’m sorry Shayan. I didn’t do anything with her or anyone else I swear it.”
“Why did you call?” I asked dismissing his words.
“I wanted to hear your voice and to make sure you got the phone and the roses.”
“I got them. They’re lovely, thanks.”
“I mean everything in the notes, Shay.” He said and I nodded. Realizing he couldn’t see me I said a flat okay.
“I’d call you back later okay. I’ve got a meeting to get to.”
“Okay bye,” I said dismissing him.
“Bye, daddy.”Evie chirped in smiling.
“Bye princess, love you.”
“Love you too daddy.” She replied smiling as they ended the call.
I was slightly jealous he didn’t say he loves me but then I wasn’t expecting him to.
“Daddy’s going to come yes.” she sang running around the room. I smiled while watching her, I was really glad she liked him.
I took out the note on the first rose which was “I’m sorry.” The next was “Nothing happened between us Shay.”. There were others like I couldn’t sleep last night without you. I can’t stop thinking about you. Come home to me. I miss you. The more I read the notes the more something tugged at my heart and I smiled. There were at least a hundred roses and notes. I felt like a teenager again reading them.
I spent a lot of time with my parents and Evie. Maybe I could visit Rosie. Evie and I bounded very well, we had a quality mother and daughter time. Night came quickly, dinner had ended. I had put Evie to sleep and was laying on the bed half expecting Kel to call. My phone vibrated, seeing it was Kel a huge smile crept up on my face.
“Hi, Shay.” Why does his voice sound so sexy every time I hear it.
“Hi,” I said trying to keep my excitement at bay. I was feeling like a teenager whose crush had just called.
“How was your day?” He asked
“Good. Yours?”
“Stressful. I miss you.” He admitted and my heart did a little somersault.
I said nothing till he spoke up again. “If you don’t want to talk it’s fine. I just wanted to hear your voice before going to bed.”
Tiny butterflies were swirling around in my stomach. “Ok. Goodnight Adrios.”
“Night West.” Him calling me West really sunk deep. I was a West now since I had terminated the contract.
I facepalmed myself as soon as the call ended. I’ve been waiting for him to call and when he finally did I ruined it. I didn’t sound enthusiastic because I didn’t want him to think I had forgiven him and I wasn’t even mad at him any longer. I really should start expressing my feelings towards him. All my thoughts were on him as I fell asleep.
“Stop it, mummy,” Evie said giggling as I tickled her.
“Chocolate’s better than strawberry. Admit it.” I said tickling her more.
“Nooo.” She stressed laughing.
It was yet another day and we were playing in the sitting room. The doorbell rang and Evie rushed to open it with me running behind.
“Daddy.” She squealed when she saw the person on the other hand jumping into his arms.
I was shocked to see him I wasn’t going to lie and excited too.
“Princessa.” He said kissing her on the cheek twirling her around.
I just smiled watching them. I didn’t notice his gaze on me. “Shayan.” His words held longing in them. No one calls my name better than him.
“Kel,” I said nearly the way he said mine.
“I miss you so much Shayan, the both of you.” He said walking closer to me.
“What are you doing here Kel?” I asked instead.
“I came to see you, to talk things out between us.” He answered
“So you didn’t come to see me, daddy?” Evie asked giving him a stern look.
“I came to see you too princess but mummy and I have something to settle. Can you go play inside, I’d come to meet you with all the toys I bought for you.”
“Promise?” She excitedly asked and they did a pinky swear.
She ran into the room after that while Kel and I stood awkwardly.
“Why do I feel like you don’t want to talk to me?” He started not taking his eyes from me it started making me nervous, his look was intimidating.
“I don’t have anything to say to you Adrios,” I said taking my eyes away from him.
“There are a lot of things that need to be addressed Shayan.” He said sighing.
“Well go on since you have a lot of things to say,” I said rather harshly.
Goodness Shayan, I deserved a slap. I don’t know why I was acting like this, deep down I was excited to meet him, glad to be talking to him but I couldn’t just admit it or act like it and I don’t know why.
“Nothing happened between me and Susan or any other woman Shayan. You might find it hard to believe but it has been only you since the marriage.”
“It is hard to believe Adrios,” I admitted. He couldn’t have been celibate, could he?
“I sincerely don’t know what to do anymore, what do you want me to do for you to believe me.” He asked frustrated.
Why was I being so hard on him?
“Don’t do anything,” I answered and he sighed.
“I get it if you don’t want to have anything to do with me but I’m always going to be there for my daughter Shayan. Since you dropped the ring and said you’re done I believe it’s time to end the contract, there’s no point in it anyway.” He looked at me intently as if gauging my reactions.